Improvement in destroying forts



NI-TED STATES ALFRED BERNEY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN DESTROYING FORTS, &c., BY MEANS OF INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4.2A58, dated April 26,1864; antedated April 19, 1864.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ALFRED BERNEY, of Jersey Oity,in the eountyof Hudsonand State ofNew Jersey,have invented a new and useful Means ofDestroying an Enemys Forts, Buildings, Vessels, Wharves, and Structuresof all Kinds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

N o drawings are attached to this specification, as I do not considerthat the nature of the case admits of drawings, and do not deem themnecessary to illustrate my invention.

It has always been thought desirable in war to possess some reliablemeans of setting on fire towns, shipping, and works of every nature heldby an enemy. Many attempts have been made to produce some cfficientinstrumentality for this purpose; but previous to my invention none ofthem have succeeded, with the exception, perhaps, of what is called theGreek fire, and the preparation and mode of using that substance haslong been one of the lost arts, and atthe present time is wholly amatter of conjecture. Modern nations have not, however, relaxed theirefforts to provide themselves withasimilarinstrumentof offence; buthitherto nothing of the kind more formidable than fire-stone, carcasses,hot shot, incendiary rockets, and some other defective weapons of thatclass is known to military science, and none of these are now consideredproperly adapted to the exigencies of warfare. The two obvious andleading requisites of an efficient agent of the character referred toare, first, that it shall possess the property of being highlyinflammable and readily and completely ignited, adapted to burn withfierceness and persistence, to spread rapidly, and communicate fireinstantaneously to everything combustible with which it comesin contact,and shall be able to burn upon metal or water, or, if necessary,within aconfined space; and, second, that itshall be capable of being projectedto a considerable distance, so as to reach an enemy at a point beyondthat to which the troops using it have penetrated.

My invention therefore consists in providing a material which possessesthe characteristics above enumerated, and in combining therewith propermachinery for throwing it rapidly and in large quantities over as greata space as possible.

To this end I employ the liquid described in certain Letters Patent ofthe United States granted to me on the 11th day of November, 1862, andentitled for an improved liquid-fire shell or projectile, and forprojecting it I use any of the suitable varieties of modernforcing-pumps-such, for instance, as Worthingtons pump, Oarys rotarypump, or any good double-acting pump. A strong reservoir, madeoftboiler-plate, should be provided to contain the liquid. From this itis to be drawn by the pump, and upon leaving the latter it is forcedthrough a strong tube, and is discharged from a suitable nozzle againstthe object to be set on fire, the liquid being inflamed by a match ortorch at about the point at which it leaves the nozzle. In this way I amenabled to throw upon an enemys position a hundred or more gallons perminute of a liquid which possesses all the properties before specified.The effect of this as a weapon of offensive or defensive warfare will beobvious. Nothing at all combustible can stand before it, and whenprojected against a column of troops it will not only produce immensedestruction of life, but it will tend to spread terror and panic throughtheir ranks. The apparatus for containing and throwing it may be withvery great ease transported or maneuvered on the field of battle. Byreason of its comparative lightness it can be employed where batteriesor single guns could not be carried, and from its nature it furnishes tothe troops managing it a far more effectual safeguard against itscapture than artillerists possess. As this liquid will burn fiercelywithin a confined space, and emits a dense smoke and stilling odor, itwill be of great service in attacking even iron-clad vessels, as asufficient quantity of it may easily be thrown in a short time upon themto fill their entire interior with a solid mass of fire, inwhich no crewof course could live, and which would speedily, by exploding themagazine, destroy the ship.

in making use of my invention at sea I propose to place the apparatusfor making it upon a vessel properly protected against hostile shot,either byiron armor or in any other manner; but of course theconstruction and arrangement of such a vessel may be varied at pleasure,and. has nothing to do with the invention here described.

Upon land I contemplate using, if desired, a strong'iron shield, of anysuitable form, made so as to be impenetrable to missiles, and which willcover my apparatus, and may be'capable of being pushed by troops over afield of bat tie for the purpose of attacking batteries or Works of anenemy. The shield will protect the men accompanying it, who may be armedto repel assaults.

I also contemplate reducing the danger of accidents to troops using myinvention by throwing, after the flame is once started, only crudepetroleum-what is known as deadoil-or any other inflammable oil which isnot in itself explosive, but which will suitably sustain'the fire whichhas been originated by the liquid already referred to. By this means Iam enabled to use a smaller quantity of th latter, and thereby render myinvention mor safe in practice, especially upon shipboard.

I claiml. The above-described means of inflicting injury upon an enemyby employing the liquid referred to, or any equivalent thereforpossessing the properties above enumerated, in combination with suitablemachinery for projecting the same to a distance, substantially as setforth.

2. Using only the said crude petroleum or said oil, or anotherinflammable oil, for the purpose specified after flame has beenoriginated, in the manner substantially as set forth.

ALFRED BERNEY.

Witnesses:

S. 1). OOZZENS, ANDREW I. Tom).

